Electric flatiron



Dec. 10, 1940. B. A. BENSON ELECTRIC FLATIRON Filed on. 6. 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jerk/lam djerw'am B. A; BENSON ELECTRIC rmrmon Filed Oct. 6, 193a Die. 10, 1940.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 93 INVENTOR. BernkaridBems'ori Patented Dec. 10, 1940 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,224,500 I a ELECTRIC FLATIRON Bernhart A. Benson, Chicago, Ill. assiiuor to Chicago Electric Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application October 6, 1938, Serial No. 233,643

. 12 Claims.

This invention relates to an electric flatiron and more particularly to the interlocking construction of the several parts.

It is an object of this invention to provide a shell, a terminal or plug receiving housing anda back rest of such construction that these several parts may be inexpensively manufactured, preferably from sheet metal, and readily assembled in rigid interlocking relation with each other and with the other parts of the flatiron including the handle support to provide a' streamlined flatiron.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flatiron embodying a shell and back rest of individual pieces whereby the shell effectively retains the heat within the iron as against loss due to convection, while at the same time the back restis maintained at a temperature permitting its satisfactory use for the intended purpose.

Applicants invention further contemplates the provision of a streamlined ir'on of the character stated wherein the pieces constituting the shell and rest are of such construction as to facilitate their interlocking assembly with a minimum of manufacturing steps and are of such construction as to prevent articles being ironed from catching or tearing on the edges of the several pieces when in assembled relation.

Another object is to provide a handle support having means for supporting the terminal housing and/or for fastening the back rest to the shell.

Other and further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanya ing drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of an electric flatiron embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an exploded view in perspective of the shell, the terminal or plug'receiving housing, theback rest and a reinforcing member for the back rest.

Fig. 5 is a view inperspective of aflatiron embodying a modification of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4. V

Fig. 6 is a plan view, partlyin section, along the line 6-6 of Fig.5.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 1-1 of Fig. 5. 1

Fig. 8 is an exploded view in perspective, fragmentarily showing the shell and back rest.

' As shown in Figs. 1 to 4, a fiatiron embodying the invention comprises the usual sole plate or ridges [8 extending from end to end and spaced symmetrically with respect to the median longitudinal plane of the shell.

A handle 20 is provided at its opposite ends with grooves 22 receiving the upper free ends of supporting straps 24 and 2B, the handle being secured to the straps by means of a bolt 28.

The sole plate 9 may be provided with the usual upstanding flange or with spaced lugs (not shown) for properly positioning the shell with respect thereto.

A back rest 30 preferably comprises a hollow sheet metal streamlined stamping having a convex top surface or wall 32, so shaped as to merge into the forward or toe portion of the shell and .be symmetrical with said portion of the shell about the point of maximum height of the shell. The'back rest is also formed with convex side flanges 34 and a rear flange 36 forming a de-' pending skirt. The upper'surface 'or top Wall 32 extends forwardly beyond the side flanges to provide a tongue 38 formed with depressed portions 40 providing grooves to receive the inturned ends 42 of the handle straps 2E and 26 and projections or bosses for seating within the grooves IS in the shell M for interlocking the shell and back rest. The rear edge of the back rest 30 is made concave to provide spaced points of support M lying substantially in the planes of the bottom edges of the dependingside flanges 34' and the side flanges 3t at their forward edges are curved as at lli to conform to the shape of the rear portion or heel of the shell so that they may be brought into contacting relation therewith and with the ribs or ridges l8 so that these side flanges, as well as the rear flange and the upper wall, support the iron in vertical position. The back rest is additionally formed with a circular-depressed portion 41, midway between the depressed portions 40, to form agroove for receiving a circular plate and a boss for seating morerigidly interlock the shell and rest member at their assembled point of symmetry. A streamlining and .reenforcing ridge or rib ll encircles the forward half of the groove l1 and extends to the points 44 along the imaginary line at which-the side flanges would merge into the top wall or surface. w

An opening 49 adjacent the'rear edge of the shell it permits the terminal prongs III to be projected therethrough. These terminal prongs are preferably carried by a resilient strap 52 secured to an upstanding bracket. portion I of the clamping plate ii, the terminal lugs It! being secured to, but insulated from, the strap and being electrically connected to the' heating element ID in the. customary fashion. The strap .52 is provided at itsrear edge with a -rearwardly extending lug 56 received within a notch I at one side of the opening 49 to properly position the- 'a rearwardly extending skirt ll overlying the back rest 30 and with a depending and rearwardly extending lug I, the lug 80 being received within a slot 68 in the upper wall 32 of the back rest ll. The lug 68 is of reduced size so as to form shoulders III for supporting the terminal housing on the back rest. At its forward edge the housing I! is formed with a depending lug or lugs 12 which are received within the groove formed by the rear depressed portion ll of the tongue 38 of the back rest so as-to oii'er a further support-for the terminal housing;

The terminal housing 82 is additionally supported by the rear handle supporting strap ll by means of adepending lug 1.4 struck out from the strap 28 and projecting through a slot 10 in the terminal housing into contact with the inner surface of the housing. The handle strap 20 and the back rest 30 are fastened to 'theshell H by means of screwsor bolts I8 passing through the inturned ends 42 of the straps 24 and II, the depressed portions 40 in the tongue ll of the back rest, and through the shell into the bracket portion 54 of the clampingplate.

The terminal housing '2 is interlocked with the back rest 30, by the lugs 08 and 1! and with the handle strap 28 by the lug I4 and this housing is provided at .its upper rear edge with a backwardly extending tongue 82 forming a third point of support for the iron when in vertical position. Since the terminal housing is interlocked in contacting relation with the handle strap II, it provides, through the handle, a very rigid additional support for the iron when the iron is in vertical, position.

The circular depressed portion .41 of the back rest and the circular groove I! are ape'rturedto receive the switchcontrol and temperature adlusting stud l3 threaded for vertical adjustment in the bracket portion II, the stud ll bearing against the adjustable control switch member 84 Y of a temperature controlled switch unit which may be of conventionalstructure. The circular depressed portion 41 receivesan index disk or plate "surrounding the stud "and secured to the back rest as by lugs II for cooperation with spaced, forwardly projecting lugs 96 received tween this wall 32 and the attaching lug 6! of 2,934,500 within thecircular groove ll ofthe' shell to still" a control knob ll screwed onto the end of, the stud 8i.

In the case of flatiro'ns ofthe larger sizes, additional reinforcement of the back rest may be desirable. In this event the reinforcing member 90 may advantageously be employed. This reinreception within the hollow back rest 30. This member preferably is substantially V-shaped in 10 longitudinal section and provides a supporting base or leg 8! and a. reinforcing arm 04. The base 02 is supported n the sole plate 9 of the flatiron and is provided at its free edge with 1 5 within spaced notches 98 in the rear wall I00 of the shell I 4. The reinforcing arm 94 of the member OI engages-the under surface of the top wall 82 of the back rest 3| and is interposed be the terminal housing 82, the arm 94 being provided at its free edge with a notch I02 for receiving the depending portion of the lug 66; I

The shell, the back rest, the terminal housing and the handle may be readily assembled and interlocked as follows. The shell H, the back rest 3|, and the reinforcing member 90 ifemployed, are first assembled byinserting the lugs 96 of the reinforcingmember SI through the notches ll of the shell, then by placing the back rest 80 on the reinforcing member with the projections formed by the depressed portions of its tongue 38 seated'within the grooves of the shell, and with the forward portion of the-back rest confined within the ribs or ridges l8 so that when n in use the articles being ironed-will not catch upon the edges of the back rest. The terminal housing 82 is then placedin position by inserting the lug ll, preformed as shown in the drawings, through the opening I in the back rest, and 40 through the notch M2 in the reinforcing mem-, her. The terminal housingis then swung forwardly until the lug or lugs 12 are properly seated within the groove provided by the rear depressedportion ll. The slot '88 in the'bac'k rest is-suiliclently enlarged to permit this swinging of the terminal housing. The handle, the parts of which have been previously assembled, is then brought down upon the shell was to cause the inturned ends 42 of the straps 24 and 26 to seat within the grooves ll of the shell and within the grooves formed by the depressed portions 40 of the back rest. In belng'broug'ht down upon the shell, the lug 14 of the rear handle strap is caused to W through the slot "of the terminal hous- 66 ing and into contact with the inner'wall of such to 8, the handle supporting strap I is of the;

one piece type secured at its central point to the pressure and clamping plate. I" which is superimposed upon the insulated heating plate Ill. The base of the strap I is received'withina groove III extending longitudinally in the median plane of.the shell ill. The handle strap and the shell are secured to the clamping plate I06 by means of a screw threaded rod-114 bolting the clamping plate to the sole' plate-and receiving a threaded sleeve I I6 passing through the handle and theshell, the sleeve II6 having an enlarged head II8 overlying a facing strip I20 interlocked with the handlestrap by end lugs I22 received in notches formed at the intersection of the arms with the base of the strap.

The shell H2 at the rear of the longitudinal groove H0 is further depressed to form a groove I24 in communication with, but having its base below, the plane of the base of the groove H0. The groove I24 receives the boss I26 formed at, and extending inwardly from, the forward free edge of the flat, downwardly inclined upper wall I28 of the back rest I30; The back rest I30, sim-,

ilarly to the back rest 30, is provided with convex side portions or flanges I32 and a concave rear fiange I34. The terminal housing I38 is identical to the terminal housing 62 of Figs. 1 to 4 and is similarly interlocked with the back rest I and the handle strap I04.

The back rest I 30 is fastened to "the shell II2 by a downwardly and rearwardly extending lug I38 struck out from the handle supporting strap I04 and passing through alined slots in the boss I26 and the bottom of the groove I24, The shell 35 the heel corners'of the shell. The tongue portion of the back rest- I30 is confined between the ribs MIL-las o that whenin use the articles being ironed will not catch upon theedges of the back rest.

In this form of the invention the shell II2, the back rest I30 and the reenforcing member 00, if employed, are first'assembled by associating the reenforcing member with the shell and then by placing the back rest over the reenforcing member with the boss I26 seated within'the groove I24 of the shell H2. The terminal housing I36 is then placed in position as previouslydescribed with reference to the terminal housing 62. The 0 handle strap I04, with which the handle has already been assembled, is then brought down into position with the lug I38 extending through the boss I28 and the'base of the groovev I24 and with .the attaching lug I4 for the terminal housing 136 in proper interlocked relation with such housing. The bottom edge of the lug I38'is then bent over into contacting engagement with the inner surface of the shell, thus interlocking the handle, the housing, and the reen'forcing member to the 0 shell. These interlocked parts are then fastened to the clamping plate of the iron by means of the single threaded sleeve I I0.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that applicant has provided an inexpensive and simply constructed streamlined electric fiatiron, the parts of'which may be easily assembled in rigid interlocking relation, and in which theshell and back rest are made of individual pieces so that the shell may completely enclose theheating unit to prevent loss of heat from the shell due to convection and the back rest is maintained at proper temperature for satisfactoryuse for its intended purpose. It is also to be noted that although constructed in-separate piecesthe shell and back rest are so formed that upon assembly no free edges are-left exposed to catch and 'tear articles being ironed. The invention is hereby claimed as follows: 1. In a fiatiron, a heat applying member, means for heating said member, a shell for enclosing said heating means, means securing the shell to the heat applying member, and a rest member for supporting the iron, said shell and said rest member comprising individual pieces of sheet material formed for ready assembly in rigid interengaging and contacting relation with each other, the rest member having forward edges merging into the shell at points of contact, said shell having an outwardly projecting guard wall configuration arranged along said forward edge in assembled position, said guard wall configuration projecting across said forward edge and confining said forward -edge of the rest means to prevent articles being ironed from catching in said edge.

2. In a fiatiron, a heat applying member, means for heating said member, a housing for enclosing said heating means, means for securing said housing to the heat applying member, said housing comprising a sheet metal shell having a heel portion and a depressed portion inwardly of the heel portion, a rest means for supporting the iron, said rest means comprising a sheet metal member having a portion extending over the shell provided with a boss in interlocking relation with the depressed portion of the shell and having an iron supporting portion projecting rearwardly beyond the heel portion of the shell, said shell having spaced ribs confining the edges of the overlapping portion of the rest means to-prevent articles being ironed from catching on said edges.

3. In a fiatiron, a heat applying member, means for heating said member, a housing for enclosing said heating means, means for securing said housing to the heat applying member, said housing comprising a sheet metal shell having a heel portion and a depressed portion inwardly of the heel portion, a rest means for supporting the iron, said rest means comprising a sheet metal member having a portion extending over the shellprovided with a boss in interlocking relation with the depressed pqrtion of the shell and having an iron supporting portion projecting rearwardly beyond the heel portion of the shell and flanges extending laterally from said supporting portion in' supporting engagement with the heel portion of the shell and spaced .points of support lying in the planes of said flanges, said shell having longitudinally extending, spaced ribs coextensive with and confining the contacting edges of the laterally extending flanges of the rest means.

, 4. In a fiatiron, a heat applying member, means for heating said member, a housing for enclosing said heating means, means securing the housing to the heat applying member, a rest means for supporting the iron, said housing com prising a sheet metal shell having a heel portion, said rest means comprising a hollow sheet metal member projecting rearwardly from the rear portion of the shell, a tongue having an interlocking connection between the forward end of the rest member and the shell forwardly of the rear wall of .its heel portion, a handle having a portion in-' terlocked with said connection, and a terminal housing interlocked with said rest member and by said handle interlocked with said connection,

5. In a, fiatiron, a heat applying member, means for-"heating said member, a housing for -en-- closing said heating means, means; securing the housing to the heat applying member, a rest means for supporting. theiron, said housing comprising a sheet metal shell having a heel portion, said rest means comprising a hollow sheet'metal member projecting rearwardly from the rear portion of the shell, said shell having a recess in its upper surface inwardly of the heel portion, said rest member having a tongue projecting over the shell. inwardly from 'the' heel within the recess in the shell, said tongue hav- -ing a recess therein, a terminal housing having a projecting portion received in the tongue recess, a handle having a supporting strap interlocked with the terminal housing and having a portion seated within the tongue recess, and means for clamping said tongue in said shell recess and said handle strap portion in said tongue recess, said handle supporting strap retaining the projecting portion of the terminal housing between itself and a side of said tongue recess; 6'. In a fiatiron, a heat applying member, means'for heating said member, a housing for enclosing said heating means, means securing the housing to the heat applying member, a rest means for supporting the iron, said housingcomprising a sheet metal shell having a heel portion, said rest means comprising a hollow sheet metal member projecting rearwardly from the rear portion of'the shell, said shell having a plurality of spaced recesses irf its upper surface inwardly of the heel portion, said rest member having a tongue projecting over the shellinwardly from the heel portion and having projecting portions seated within the recesses in the shell, said tongue having a plurality of spaced recesses therein, a handle having supporting straps seated within a pair of the tongue recesses, means for clamping said tongue in said shell recesses and said handle straps in said pair of tongue recesses.

7. In the combination of claim 5 wherein said clamping means comprises a lug projecting from the handle supporting strap and passing through alined openings in the tongue of the rest member and the shell.

8. In a flatiron, a heat applying member, means for heating said member, a housing for enclosing said heating means, means for securing the housing to the heat applying member, a rest means for supporting the iron, said housing comprising a sheet metal shell having a groove extending longitudinally in the median plane of the shell, a handle having a supporting strap portion extending longitudinally ofthe shell and seated in said groove, said rest means comprising a sheet metal member having a forwardly projecting portion seated within said groove and interposed between the strap portion and the base of said groove, said forwardly projecting portion of the rest memberand the base of said groove having alined openings, and a lug on said strap portion of the handle passing through said alined openings into clamping engagement with'the inner surface of the shell to secure the handle "and the rest member to. said shell. 7 v

9. In a fiatiron, a heat applying member, means for heating said member, a shell for enclosing 0 said heating means, means securing the shell to the heat applying member, a rest member for supporting the iron, said shell and said'rest member comprising individual sheet metal pieces portion and having a projecting portion seated aaaasoo formed for ready assembly in rigid interlocking relation witheach other, a terminal housing on said shell, and a sheet metal member for reenforclng they rest member, said reenforcing memher having an interlocking connection with said shell and havinga'portion held in supporting interlocked engagement with the rest member, b

a projection of said terminal housing.

10. In a flatiron, a heat applying member, means for heating said member, a housing for enclosing said heating means, means securing the housing to the heat applying member, a rest ineans'for supporting the iron, said housing comprising a sheet metal shell having a heel portion,

- said rest means comprising a hollow sheet metal member projecting rearwardly from the rear portion of the shell and extending over the shell, the material of said shell being depressed at a predetermined point to provide a recess therein, the sheet'material of said rest means vbeing depressed above said shell recess and providing an opposite projecting portion extending into interlocking relationship with said shell recess, a handle member having a flanged lower portion extending into interengaging relationship into the said recess formed on thesaid rest means and clamping means for retaining said elements in said respective recesses.

11. In a flatiron, a heat applying member, means for heating said member, a shell for enclosing said heating means, means securing the shell to the heat applying member, and a rest member for supportingthe iron, said shell and said rest member comprising individual pieces of sheet material formed for ready assembly with each other, the rest member having an iron sup- 1 porting rest portion extending rearwardly from the tendingportion overlying the shell and merging into theshell at points of contact, said shell having a projecting guard wall configuration comprising ridges extending outwardly a substantial distance beyond the normal plane of the shell and disposed longitudinally of the shell coex-' tensive' with the forwardly extending portion of said rest member, said ridges being spaced laterally to abut the edges of said forwardly extending portion of the rest member.

12. In a fiatiron comprising a heat applying member, heating means, a housing for enclosing said heating means, and a rest means for supporting the iron, said housing comprising a sheet metal shell having a groove extending longitudinally of the median plane of said shell and terminating short of the rear end of said shell to provide an abutment defined by the rear extremity of said groove, a handle construction having a supporting strap portion" extending longitudinally of the shell and seated in said groove, said rest means comprising a sheet metal member having a forwardly projecting portionextending above the shell and provided with a depressed portion extending within the rear portion of said groove only, the rear portion of said groove bein substantially deeper and receiving-said depressed portion with its top surface substantially-in the plane of theforward portion of the groove, and

,shell when assembled and a forwardly exmeans holding said supporting strap in said groove to maintain said rest means in operative position.

. BERNHAR'I' a, BENSON. 

